Soni’s blog What a Waste got me thinking and provided the inspiration for my own blog post: The Steak, the Sizzle, the Dream…what hooked you?

Living on the sales front lines I’m constantly exposed to product presentations delivered by a diversely talented group of professional presenters, sales people and subject matter experts. Yep, I too have delivered my share of product demos. I’m not expert but have years of experience.

Infomercials like the one Soni alluded to in her blog are, in my opinion, at the apex of modern day marketing. They are as close to a perfect blend of three buying emotions: the Steak, the Sizzle, the Dream.

• The Steak is the sleek ultra-modern gadget or solution.
• The Sizzle is the ease of use and speedy results.
• The Dream is the emotional high as you vicariously become thinner, richer, happier, etc.

These messages always contain something for everyone. The product info appeals to the nerd in all of us. “That looks easy enough” guilts us into believing that we have no excuse not to do it. And finally, the dream appeals to our universal dream of a better life. (My favorite example is the message that eating s’mores around a campfire with friends is better when you get there driving a particular four-wheel drive vehicle. This has absolutely no connection to reality—which by definition is a dream.)

Soni’s blog states “the waste was not in buying the equipment, the waste was in not using it.”

I’m going to take this one step further. Recognizing that implementing a new ERP system is a huge and tedious task, it is important to remember not to stop at “replace what you had” but rather to go the extra mile and deploy the Steak, enjoy the Sizzle and realize the Dream of a better solution.

Modern software like the Spitfire Project Management System has the infrastructure to be configured continuously to adjust to changing business practices. Anyone using such a system should challenge and re-think the status quo on a regular basis. Almost any workflow can be reworked to improve operational efficiency, reduce errors and omissions, and handle more throughput with less effort while reducing costs. In many cases, the functionality already exists—you might just need help making it happen.

Don’t let your ERP system become a couch potato in desperate need of sizzle. Work it to its full potential and realize the dream.